


For My Lady, The Queen

by AleneShazam



Series: Knights and Fantasy AU [2]
Category: Love Live! School Idol Festival (Video Game), Love Live! School Idol Project, Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst, Dragon!Mari, F/F, High Fantasy, Knight!Kanan, Politics, Queen!Dia, Quests, Roadtripping fantasy style, but mostly romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-01
Updated: 2018-03-31
Packaged: 2019-03-25 11:18:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13833051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AleneShazam/pseuds/AleneShazam
Summary: Dia turns around, eyes wide at Kanan running at her, before golden claws close around her.“Dia!” Kanan screams, as the claw retracts.“Protect Ruby! Protect—” Dia’s voice hangs in the air for a moment before the sound of a dragon taking off into the night sky deafens Kanan.She stares, dazed, at the empty space where Dia was still standing moments ago.Dia’s gone, taken by the dragon.(Third years! Fantasy AU Continued: Kanan goes on a quest alongside a mysterious traveler after Dia is kidnapped by a  dragon. Sequel of A Knight's Duty, please read that first.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Follow my tumblr for updates, art, requests, and more! (<https://worldofoasis.tumblr.com/>)

Kurosawa Dia sits at a desk in her mansion estate’s solar, leafing slowly through a thick stack of letters and documents. She scans each page carefully and thoroughly, leaving no word unchecked, and no small print unseen. Kurosawa Dia is nothing if not meticulous and serious with her work, which is the reason why she, rather than her parents, is the head of the Kurosawa household.

Sunlight filters in from a glass dome set into the ceiling of the room, lighting up most of the circular chamber. The walls are lined with shelves of books, all of them bound in quality leathers and illuminated with delicate golden print. Many look ancient, but just as many seem barely read at all. Despite enjoying it greatly, Dia rarely has time to peruse the family library. More often she is occupied with matters of the state, a duty which once belonged to her father, but was transferred to her once she became of age.

Her workload has only increased as unrest amongst the nobility rises; ever since the disappearance of the current head of the Watanabe house, the other noble houses have been clamouring to carve up her territory. However, due to the fact that she left express instructions that her territory is to be managed in her stead by her chamberlain, it has remained untouched, much to the displeasure of the other nobles.

Dia sighs, and flips over another letter of complaint from some minor noble in the southern territories, trying to curry her favour in a dispute with another minor noble with neighbouring lands. It’s all so childish, Dia thinks, as she quickly scribbles down a memo for a scribe to write a letter of neutrality to the feuding nobles. The kingdom of Ura is constantly under threat by feral demonic beasts and invaders from foreign lands, yet the nobles can hardly see beyond the richness of their feasts, and the fullness of their coffers.

Sometimes Dia thinks about leaving all of this ruling behind. But then who would hold this fractured kingdom together? No fool with an ounce of wit would volunteer for this cursed seat. Every ruler of the land has died young, without exception. The previous queen, the most successful by a long margin, lived only to the relatively young age of twenty seven before she died of natural causes. As far as Dia knew, she left no heir, hence why the Kurosawa family could step up to assume leadership.

Dia is determined not to continue this trend.

She sighs again, and flips over to the next document in her tall stack and immediately noting the wax seal on the bottom. It’s a letter from a prominent noble to the west, one she ought to respond to personally. She flattens out the letter, and begins to read, murmuring under her breath.

“Lady Kurosawa, your family has long supported the royal line, but with the death of the late Queen the throne has been left empty… when might you step up to fill this vacuum? I await the momentous occasion, such that I might prepare great celebrations for your coronation…”

The coronation. Right. Dia breathes in through her nose, exhaling slowly. Dia, so far, has led as a temporary substitute to the late Queen. But she knows it is only a matter of time until she is forced to assume the role of new Queen fully, as that is the popular opinion amongst the nobility.

Once upon a time, the Kurosawa family supported the royal lineage, alongside the royal Court, as loyal servants and aides. But despite the loyalty Dia still feels for the late queen, she knows that she carries out the will of the people. And the people will her to take the throne.

She is the right age, after all; tradition mandates a candidate for the throne must be below the age of twenty five, and Dia has just celebrated her twentieth birthday. She admits she has administration skill in spades, and there is no one who can navigate the web of politics and negotiation as she can.

And yet she hesitates to put down a concrete date for her coronation. Perhaps the burden of royalty is a little daunting to bear. She hums, and begins to write a carefully worded response to deflect the question away, when her oaken chamber doors creak open.

“I thought I ordered that no-one interrupt me,” Dia says evenly, without raising her head.

“Apologies, milady.”

Dia looks up. A woman clad in burnished steel armor, with flowing dark blue hair done up in a high ponytail, stands at the doorway, her head bowed respectfully. “As you instructed, I am here to inform you that Lady Ruby has begun her afternoon lessons.”

“Ah, Dame Matsuura.” Dia relaxes when she sees it’s Kanan. She glances at the skylight wearily. “Is it afternoon already? I barely noticed the time pass…”

Kanan nods, her eyes still focused a little bit in front of Dia so she’s not looking at her directly. “Yes, milady. The noon bell struck some time ago.”

Dia sighs, and rubs the bridge of her nose. “Perhaps the soundproofing in my solar is too efficient… I must speak to the chief engineer of this…”

Kanan makes no response, simply continuing to stand at the doorway with her head bowed.

“Dame Matsuura,” Dia suddenly addresses Kanan, who jumps slightly and almost looks up. Almost.

“Milady?” Kanan asks.

“What was today’s morning lesson on?”

“Negotiations, milady. Foreign and domestic.”

Dia nods slowly, before asking, “What do you think of Ruby’s progress in the subject?”

Kanan starts, quickly shaking her head. “Milady, I am but a humble soldier, it is not my place to comment on such things…”

“Nonsense. We sat in the same lessons on politics and diplomacy. You must have some insight into my sister’s progress,” Dia says evenly. She taps the table with a finger. “I wish to know what you think of Ruby’s education.”

Kanan hesitates, before slowly replying, “I-In that case, milady… Ruby shows promise. She has natural charm and grace, and she is sensitive to changes in one’s demeanour…” Kanan licks her lips to wet them. “But she lacks conviction. Her arguments are soft. She has yet to mature in that regard.”

Dia nods thoughtfully, before casting a slightly smug look at Kanan. “You see, Dame Matsuura? Don’t be so quick to put yourself down. I agree with your assessment, but firmness in discourse comes from experience. Give her time, and I am sure she will rise to the challenge.”

Kanan nods. “Of course, milady.”

A second of silence passes before Dia eventually says, “If that will be all, Dame Matsuura, you are dismissed to see to your own matters until Ruby’s classes conclude for the day.”

Kanan bows, but she remains in the doorway, seemingly hesitant about something.

After a few moments, Dia raises an eyebrow. “Do you have something else to say, Dame Matsuura?”

Kanan takes in a deep breath to steady her nerves. “Yes, milady. I will be sparring with the guard captain of the palace, as a demonstration for the men. I extend a humble invitation for you to observe our match. It will mean much to the soldiers to know you are paying attention to their training.”

Dia regards Kanan for a few long, nerve-wracking seconds. Kanan begins to sweat from her nerves, but eventually Dia sighs and seems to conclude a furious mental debate. She nods, and puts her inkwell and quill away, placing a paperweight on the stack of documents to stop them from scattering.

“I have yet to eat anyway. This will make for a good excuse for me to stretch my legs and visit the kitchens,” Dia says, striding up to the door, and breezing past Kanan without pausing. She stops a few feet beyond the doorway, though, and says, “I hope you win, Dame Matsuura.”

“M-Milady?” Kanan stutters, caught off guard. Dia rarely takes sides. A woman of her station should be a neutral arbiter in most situations.

Dia seems to realize her slip-up as well, and quickly adds, “I- I meant, I should hope you win, Dame Matsuura. After all, I entrusted my sister’s safety to you.”

“I- I see. Of course, milady. I’ll not let you down,” Kanan says, putting a gauntleted fist to her chest. “I will head to the training fields. Please, take as long as you need, milady.”

Dia nods aloofly, and Kanan quickly departs, heading to inform the guard captain that Dia will be observing the match as well.

* * * * *

“I’ve said this before, but you really need to take care of yourself more…”

Kanan smiles helplessly as the Kurosawa family doctor wraps bandages around her arm. The demonstration fight went as planned, but as always, the stubborn old guard captain refused to go down without giving Kanan a good lashing in the process. The pain doesn’t really bother her; Kanan is well known even amongst royal knights for her endurance, but she knows Ruby will get worried if she sees Kanan walking around with wounds.

“I don’t get hurt by choice, you realize,” Kanan says dryly. “It’s not too bad, anyway.”

“Your body may be tough, but at the end of the day you’re still human. You’re not some maniac with inbuilt armor. You can’t just go and take a sword swing straight to the sternum,” the doctor sighs, wiping sweat from her brow and patting Kanan on the shoulder. “Right, well, I’ve cleaned your wounds, so at least you won’t get black rot.”

“Thank you,” Kanan says, starting to get up. “I should go now—”

“No, no! I’ve just popped your arm back into place, you are not going anywhere,” the doctor says firmly, pushing Kanan back onto her bunk. “Doctor’s orders. Now, I must see to the poor man you damn near beat to a bloody pulp…” She sighs, and after giving Kanan one last threatening look, she bustles out of the room, leaving Kanan alone on her bed.

Kanan glances at the door where the doctor left for a moment before breathing out and staring up at the ceiling. Kanan’s room is bare and utilitarian - the floor and ceiling are stone, her bed frame is a simple iron cage, and she sleeps on a thin mattress of straw. But for Kanan, it’s more than enough to be a relaxing environment. Even if she’ll probably return to duty soon, she supposes she can afford to take a little rest. Under her breath she starts to hum a little tune, and she closes her eyes to rest for a bit.

“…” “……” “…” “………..” “……”

The door creaks open, and Kanan stops humming immediately.

“That was the old lullaby the maid would sing to us, wasn’t it?”

Dia smiles faintly as she steps inside the room. Kanan tries to sit up, but Dia shakes her head, gesturing for her to lie back down. Reluctantly Kanan relaxes, and leans back into her bunk. “How are your wounds?” She asks, pulling up a seat next to Kanan’s bed.

“Milady,” Kanan thinks for a moment, and allows herself a little bit of cheek. “You should see the other person.”

“Oh, I saw the match. You gave Albert quite the thrashing,” Dia says with a bemused expression on her face. She glances at the door. “I spoke to him just now. He says your swordsmanship has gotten even better. He can scarcely keep up with you these days.”

“Well, he’d know best out of anyone. I’ve been fighting him since I was twelve,” Kanan laughs.

“I remember the first time you came back from a fight. You had a lump on your head the size of an orange, and you were complaining to me and Ruby about how Albert cheated during the match,” Dia says, her voice tinged with nostalgia. “You said…”

“…I said he threw dirt in my face,” Kanan says. “But the truth was that I was the one who cheated. And I still lost!”

Dia smiles at the bittersweet past. “Mm. Those were good times, weren’t they?”

Kanan nods, but she can sense the slight melancholy behind Dia’s words. Those times, while good, are in the past. Things are different now. She’s no longer the snotty kid who went around challenging all the guards to duels. She has responsibilities now, obligations.

Dia breathes out slowly, silent for a moment. Her eyes wander over Kanan’s bandaged arms. “Does it hurt, Dame Matsuura?” She asks quietly.

Kanan lifts her arm slightly, flexing her hand and fingers. “Not really,” Kanan says. “I’ve faced worse in training.”

“You really should take care of yourself more,” Dia says. Kanan tenses up in surprise as Dia lays her hand over Kanan’s.

“The good doctor said that to me too, milady,” Kanan says, nervously shifting slightly. 

“For good reason, I’d wager,” Dia murmurs. “You were always too reckless for your own good.”

“If it’s in service to you, milady, I’d walk an entire continent for you,” Kanan says quietly. “I swore I’d do anything for you.”

“Anything?” Dia asks. “Even...”

A knock on the door makes Dia flinch back and clamp her mouth shut abruptly, cutting herself off mid-sentence. A warm blush spreads across her face.

“Lady Dia, your guests have arrived,” the voice of the old Kurosawa chamberlain comes through the door.

After allowing herself a second to compose herself, she rises hastily to her feet. “I must go now,” she says, her voice controlled once again despite her still-crimson cheeks. “I have an audience with some minor nobles from the south.”

Kanan nods mutely, watching as Dia hurriedly departs the room. When Dia’s out of earshot, she breathes out heavily, putting a hand to her chest and feeling her beating heart.

That was too close. She makes a mental note to herself to have more self-control around Dia in the future. Kanan doesn’t even want to imagine the consequences if someone saw the exchange just now.

She’s a knight, and Dia practically royalty. Kanan should act the part.

* * * * *

A few days later, Kanan finds herself standing in front of the throne room of the royal palace, answering an unexpected summons by the Court.  The throne room of the royal palace has a set of great double doors, requiring two servants to operate just one door. A page steps out from behind the doors, bowing his head politely.

“The Court is ready to receive you,” he says.

“Thank you,” Kanan says, trying her best to suppress the edge of nervousness in her voice.

The throne room is comprised of a long passageway, flanked by columns and windowed aisles at both sides, with a carpeted central walk leading up to a dais where there is an ornate crescent shaped table. Six men and women dressed in extravagant clothing sit at the table, but the middle seat - a large throne - is left empty. A large window behind the table bathes the dais in a warm, sunny glow, but Kanan feels anything but comforted.

When she gets to the end of the walk Kanan falls down to one knee, bowing her head. “Lords and Ladies of the Court,” She says respectfully. “I present myself.”

“Stand, Dame Matsuura. We are all equals here,” A man sitting at the far left says. Kanan stands, resisting the urge to laugh at his statement.

If all were equal, Kanan wouldn’t be here.

“Do you know why we called you here, Dame Matsuura?” One of the women asks.

“No, milady,” Kanan says. “Is there anything I can do to serve the Court?”

“In fact, there is,” the woman says. “Dame Matsuura, you have quite the unique position. You are a knight of the kingdom, but your family has been sworn to the Kurosawa house for centuries. You are young Lady Ruby’s personal protector, but you also have Lady Dia’s ear. You have influence that many knights can only dream of.”

“I am unworthy of this attention, milady.”

“Nonsense. Your service warrants this standing,” the lady says. But then she leans forward, and her tone shifts, ever so slightly. “Now, on to business. Dame Matsuura, has Lady Dia spoken of her decision on her coronation?”

Kanan hesitates, biting her lip for a moment. “…No, milady. I refrain from prying into her business, and she has not spoken of such decisions.”

The lady nods slowly, before glancing across the table to the first man who spoke in the beginning. He clears his throat. “In that case, the Court would like to urge you to remind Lady Dia that the current status quo cannot be maintained for much longer. As much as we respect her loyalty to the old royalty, sometimes change is necessary for the greater good.”

His demeanour suddenly turns sinister. “Or must we remind you why the original royal line was deposed?”

Kanan shivers. “No, milady. I am very aware.”

The previous queen was poisoned by those of the Court. This is a closely held secret by the nobles of the Court, one kept even from Dia, the regent-in-acting. The reason for this treachery is because in the eyes of the Court, the previous queen was weak and incompetent, but even worse, refused to buckle to the demands of the Court. They assassinated the queen in hopes of installing a more malleable monarch: Kurosawa Dia, who comes from a family that for the longest time worked to aid both the royal lineage and the court.

The Kurosawa heir is groomed to the exact tastes of the Court, so that when she takes the throne, they will be able to enact their will on the land through Dia. However, with Dia hesitating to take the throne, that presents a significant challenge to the Court’s plan of rendering Dia a puppet monarch.

“There are many other noble houses willing to take the throne, Dame Matsuura.”

Kanan feels a chill go down her spine, and she bows her head respectfully. “Of course. I shall speak to Lady Dia about this.”

The threat is not lost on Kanan. What they’ve done once, they’ll readily do again.

Once she’s dismissed, Kanan backs out of the throne room, and when the doors close, she turns and walks away as quickly and briskly as she can without running.

Take the throne, Dia, Kanan prays. Before it’s too late.

* * * * *

“Dame Matsuura.”

Kanan blinks, surprised that Dia would address her during a meal. She’s just there as Ruby’s servant, and Dia’s usually too busy to waste time on small talk.

Dia and Ruby sit at a long table, most of the seats and spaces unoccupied. Opulent dishes of food sit in front of the two young women, which they chip away at in small, delicate bites, as is mandated by court etiquette. Ruby is being coached by her lady-in-waiting, whose keen eye for detail continually picks out the tiniest of mistakes in Ruby’s demeanour. Kanan stands a little ways away, not wanting to distract Ruby, and Dia sits a few feet away from her, enough of a distance from Ruby that if she speaks to Kanan, Ruby won’t overhear.

“Do you require my service, milady?” Kanan asks courteously, mindful of the setting.

“I—…” Dia begins to speak, before she hesitates. Finally, after a few seconds of deliberation, she says, “Later, when my sister’s afternoon classes commence, come to my solar. I have matters I must consult you on.”

“Matters, milady?” Kanan raises an eyebrow, though she bows her head respectfully a few moments later as she remembers her station. Who is she to challenge Dia’s decision? “Of course. I shall go forthright after I escort the young lady to the royal tutor.”

“Thank you,” Dia says, nodding slightly and returning to her food.

Later that day, when Kanan has finished all of her duties, she follows her orders and heads over to Dia’s study. She knocks on the door, and after a few seconds, pushes the door open.

The air is still, shafts of light illuminating flecks of floating dust. Kanan thinks it’s probably unhealthy for Dia to be cooped up in here, but other than occasional jaunts out into the gardens and the musical theatre, she insists on staying there for work.

She freezes for a moment when she spots Dia napping at her desk, apparently having dozed off while reading documents. She looks peaceful, her normally carefully controlled expression replaced by a look of bliss and relaxation. She has a faint smile on her face, and it’s almost as though in that moment she doesn’t have the weight of the entire kingdom on her shoulders.

Even three years ago, Kanan wouldn’t have expected Dia to be here now, at the head of the kingdom. The Kurosawa family has always been prominent, sure, but royalty?

Kanan breathes out faintly, afraid to disturb Dia’s rest. Dia’s always so tired these days. She tries to hide it, with powder under the eyes and a stern attitude, but Kanan has been watching Dia for long enough to tell the difference. Dia hasn’t had a good rest in a long time, Kanan thinks.

But if Kanan doesn’t wake her up, Dia’s going to be annoyed. And they rarely have the chance to talk normally, ever since Dia became queen-regent. She tiptoes over to the desk, and gently shakes Dia by the shoulder.

“My lady,” she says quietly. “You asked for me?”

Dia shifts, rousing quickly from her light nap. She looks up at Kanan, for a moment looking bedraggled before her expression sharpens and she straightens up, clearing her throat and fixing her hair.

“I, hm, yes,” She smooths out the front of her dress, and gestures at a chair near the table. “Sit, please.”

Kanan starts. “That’s… not proper, milady. A knight should stand or kneel before her sovereign—”

“Sit,” Dia says, more firmly this time. She gives Kanan a stern look, but it lasts only a few moments as her expression softens and her posture slouches slightly. “Please? I need to talk to someone I can trust.” She glances down at the table. “We are… friends, aren’t we? Can we speak as such?”

Kanan looks at Dia, tired and in a moment of weakness, and can’t bear to say anything otherwise. She sits down in front of Dia, speaking softly. “Of course. What do you want to talk about, milady?”

Dia breathes out slowly. She stares down at her hands for a moment, shuffling some parchment around on the desk before finally speaking. “I… Be honest with me, Kanan. Should I ascend to the throne?”

Kanan jerks slightly at Dia using her name. Ever since Dia assumed her duty as heir to the Kurosawa house, she had stopped using Kanan’s first name.

“I think…” Kanan licks her lips. She remembers the court’s warning, about what could befall Dia if she refused to ascend. “I think you should.”

“Really?” Dia glances at Kanan.

After a moment of hesitation, Kanan nods. “You’re what this kingdom needs. A competent leader who understands the plight of her people. And… it’s what you deserve. You’ve done so much for the kingdom behind the scenes, you deserve to be lauded as queen.”

Kanan knows better than anyone else that Dia has worked hard for this. If anyone should be queen, it’s Dia.

…Right?

Kanan clenches a fist. Of course it’s right. Regardless of what the council wants, this is what Dia has trained to do all her life. She should take the throne.

Plus, it’s what she wants, isn’t it? Dia’s said as much before.

“Besides, there’s no one else to take the throne,” Kanan mentions.

“There’s Ruby.”

Kanan looks at Dia and raises an eyebrow. Dia sighs weakly. “…No, you’re right. She’s not ready.”

Shifting slightly in her seat, Dia nods, slowly steepling her fingers.

“You must think me strange, for me to be hesitating at this juncture.” Dia asks, her eyes fixed on the table.

Kanan shakes her head. “Not at all. It is a momentous responsibility. It’s only natural to hesitate. I would, if I were in your place”

Dia glances at Kanan, and sighs again. “…Perhaps so,” Dia says, her expression unreadable for a moment. She stays silent for a moment, before after a long pause she looks up. “Dame Matsuura. Would you continue to serve me after coronation?”

The sudden use of her official title snaps Kanan to attention, and she briskly brings her hand to her heart. “With body and soul, milady,” She says smoothly, without any hesitation. “My sword is yours.”

Dia smiles ever so slightly, the corners of her lips lifting just a hair. “Well, that’s good to hear.”

Kanan relaxes slightly.

“Even though you’ve already failed me.”

Kanan’s eyes widen, and the sound of something cracking makes her turn around.

There, swinging listlessly in the air, is Ruby’s corpse.

* * * * *

Kanan’s eyes flash open, and she sits up with a strangled gasp.

The image is seared into her retinas, but she’s not actually there. Kanan looks around. It’s dark, but there’s no hanging figure. It was a dream. All a dream.

She slouches forward, catching her forehead in a hand. Her mind was just rehearsing her talk with Dia, and added some unnecessary details. Dia never told her she failed. Ruby’s still alive.

…Right? Unsettled by the dream, Kanan breathes out and rubs the sleep out of her eyes, trying to focus.

Her eyes widen when the screaming ringing in her ears don’t fade away. Something is wrong with the mansion. With practiced speed she grabs her sheathed sword hanging off of the wall and slings it around her waist. Without even pausing to slip on her boots, in just her nightgown with her hair undone, she throws her room door open and rushes out.

A wave of heat assaults her, and Kanan pauses slightly at the sight of the hallway on fire. A quick peek out of a window confirms that fire rages through the courtyard and the other wings of the Kurosawa estate as well.

Her room is directly adjacent to Ruby’s so she can move to protect her at a moment’s notice. Ignoring the slightly sizzling carpets, she braces her shoulder against Ruby’s room door and throws her entire weight against it.

The door buckles, and with another smash it is thrown open inwards, revealing a room that is completely up in flames, and Ruby perched precariously on her bed trying to avoid the fire licking at her heels. The drapes surrounding Ruby’s bed is on fire as well, though the thick cotton weave seems to be keeping the fire contained for the moment.

“Kanan!” Ruby cries out when she sees Kanan in the doorway, relief flooding her expression. “Help!”

Kanan does a lightning quick survey of the situation - the floor isn’t all on fire, but the walls are, and Ruby’s metal bed frame is likely the only thing saving her from immolation right now. The ceiling is burning in places too, the plaster curling off and the wood beneath it steadily becoming charred.

“Hold on,” Kanan calls, and without hesitation, charges straight through the fire, keeping her steps light and her pace quick. Fire laps at her nightgown, but her movement is enough to keep it from lighting on fire, and though her feet blister from the heat likewise she’s moving too quickly to be properly burnt. “Jump!”

When Kanan makes it as close to Ruby’s bed as she can without killing herself, Ruby swallows nervously and closes her eyes, taking a step and jumping at Kanan through the burning curtains. Kanan catches Ruby easily - the girl’s light as a feather in all honesty, and pivots using the momentum of Ruby’s jump, dashing for the door as soon as she’s secured Ruby in her arms.

Kanan hears splintering above her, and she throws herself past the doorway just in time for the ceiling to collapse behind them, crushing Ruby’s room in flaming debris. Ruby stares wide-eyed as her life’s possessions go up in flames, but after just a moment’s respite Kanan’s instincts take over and she starts herding Ruby towards a stairway.

“We need to get to the barracks,” She decides, pulling Ruby along by the hand as they run down the burning hall. The floors here are made of marble so it’s not as bad, but much of the decorations and carpeting is flammable, so Kanan has to carefully pick a path through that avoids the quickly spreading fire. “The barracks is an all-stone construction with minimum flammables. Plus the soldiers will keep you safe.”

“K-Kanan, what about Dia?” Ruby asks, her voice shaking from fear.

“The master bedchambers are made of stone, and the door is treated. Unless someone breaks in and deliberately torches the insides, she’ll be safe as long as she stays put,” Kanan says quickly, rattling off her assessment of the situation.

Despite the chaos unfolding around them, servants shouting and screaming, guards scrambling to get everyone out, she’s completely calm, her training squashing her fear and anxiety and replacing it with a cold professionalism. Ruby’s faring much worse, looking around with wide eyes, her trembling as everything she’s known and loved going up in flames.

“Ruby, focus on me. Focus on my voice,” noticing the impending symptoms of panic setting in, Kanan quickly grabs Ruby’s attention. “You’re going to be fine. Everything is going to be fine. A fire is something the whole staff body has trained for, remember?”

A flaming banister comes crashing down into a suit of armor, and Ruby flinches at the noise, but a few moments later she looks at Kanan with newfound composure and she nods, remembering her noble training.

A lady must always be composed, even when in danger, she thinks to herself.

As they hurry down the (thankfully) stone stairwell, the pair run into a squadron of guards rushing up into the upper floors for rescue. Sensing an opportunity, Kanan flags down one of the guards, and passes Ruby over to him. “Guard, what happened? Where did the fire come from?”

“A dragon, ma’am! They say a dragon flew overhead and torched the courtyard! We’re trying to get everyone out, but the fire’s too fierce for us to reach the master bedchambers!”

Kanan feels a chill in her spine at the mention of a dragon, and quickly barks out orders, “Bring Lady Ruby to the barracks and keep her safe! I’m going to go to see to Lady Dia’s safety! Lend me your boots!”

The man nods and quickly kicks his boots off - they just fit Kanan, if a little loosely, and he quickly ushers Ruby back the way he came. As soon as she’s slipped the boots on, Kanan turns and runs, beelining for the bedchambers and ignoring the fire. The fire has gotten worse, spreading all over the mansion. Miraculously she doesn’t see any injured or dead, but she barely has time to celebrate as she pushes past a curtain of roiling flame and into the hallway where the master bedchamber is.

Her skin is blistered and burnt from simply rushing through the flames, and her nightgown is badly singed, but Kanan ignores the stinging all over her body and draws her sword, bursting into Dia’s bedchamber with a fierce shout.

What she sees freezes her heart. The outer wall is torn down, the leering visage of a golden dragon visible through the hole. Dia stands before the dragon, exposed and defenceless.

“Put out the fire! They don’t deserve this!” Dia shouts, apparently ignorant of Kanan’s entry. “Take me and go if you must, but leave them out of it!”

“Well, if you’re offering…” The dragon’s rumbling voice fills the room, shaking Kanan to the core.

“No!”

Dia turns around, eyes wide at Kanan running at her, before golden claws close around her.

“Dia!” Kanan screams, as the claw retracts.

“Protect Ruby! Protect—” Dia’s voice hangs in the air for a moment before the sound of a dragon taking off into the night sky deafens Kanan, the blast of wind knocking the knight off her feet. She falls and rolls, tumbling across the stone floor and sliding to a halt against a stone pillar. She stares, dazed, at the empty space where Dia was still standing moments ago.

Kanan reaches out weakly, her hand closing on nothing but thin air. “Dia…” Kanan murmurs hoarsely, unable to process the rapid turn of events that transpired before her very eyes.

She’s gone.

She’s gone? Kanan blinks, the reality of the situation setting in. Dia’s gone, taken by the dragon.

“Damn it… God damn it…!” Kanan grits her teeth, tears of frustration welling up in her eyes. She slams a fist into the stone floor, ignoring the stabbing pain coming from her bloodied knuckles.

She failed.

Kanan breathes in shakily, fury and frustration and desperation churning in her mind and turning into an incoherent mess. She’s not sure if she wants to scream, cry, or immediately run after the dragon to get Dia back. She reaches for her sword, but then stops, her hand trembling. The dragon sent her flying with just its wingbeats from takeoff. What can she possibly do against a monster like that?

After a few seconds of gritted teeth and shuddering breaths, Kanan’s training kicks in, and she forcibly pushes back her fluctuating emotions, straightening up and squaring her shoulders. Dia’s final orders rings in Kanan’s ears - Protect Ruby. Dia is, for now, out of reach. Kanan compartmentalizes that fact, and stores it away. She’ll bear the guilt of that when Ruby is secured, and the estate swept for hazards.

Shaking her head, she ventures out back into the mansion.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow my tumblr for updates, art, requests, and more! (<https://worldofoasis.tumblr.com/>)

Coming out of the mansion out onto the estate grounds, Kanan spots guards and able-bodied servants scurrying back and forth, recovering whatever they can from the burnt-out husk of the estate. Mentally reminding herself to, once again, put forward a brave face, she strides up to the nearest guard and nods curtly at him.

“Guardsman, what is the current situation?” She asks.

“The fire appears to have died down, ma’am! It’s almost a miracle; we’ve counted none dead yet, and those who were burnt suffered only minor injury. We’re scouring the estate for valuables that can be recovered now.”

Kanan nods, relief flooding her system at the lack of fatalities. “What of the dragon? Any sightings?”

The guardian shakes his head. “Someone mentioned seeing it crest over the hill towards town. The fire stole the rest of our attention.”

Kanan bites her lip. “I see.” She nods again, and waves to dismiss the guard. “I will see to Lady Ruby now. She’s in the barracks, I hope?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll take my leave, then.” The guard salutes, and rejoins the others looking through the mansion for remaining supplies.

Kanan breathes out, and goes into the guard . The inside of the garrison building is a flurry of activity; the old Kurosawa chamberlain is snappily giving out orders, coordinating the effort to restore the mansion as soon as possible. He spots Kanan and gives her a respectful nod, gesturing at a room behind him. “The young lady is inside.”

Going up to the door, Kanan knocks twice, waiting for a response.

“Who is it?”

Kanan takes a deep breath, steeling her nerves. “It’s me, Lady Ruby.”

Footsteps come up to the door, and Ruby throws the door open. “Kanan! You’re okay!” She runs up and gives Kanan a hug. “I was worried when I heard there was a dragon, and you took so long, I thought that maybe you—”

“I’m okay…” Kanan pats the top of Ruby’s head soothingly. “A little burnt, but I’m fine.”

Ruby pulls back a little, smiling at Kanan. “I’m glad… how about Dia? Is my sister okay?”

Kanan cringes, her lips drawing up into a tight grimace. “She…”

Ruby looks behind Kanan. “You didn’t bring her. Why didn’t you bring her?” Her voice trembles slightly. “Kanan, where’s Dia?”

“She—…” Kanan closes her eyes for a moment. She can’t bear the weight of Ruby’s gaze. Leading Ruby back into the room, she shuts the door behind them before continuing hesitantly. “I… I’m sorry. She was taken by the dragon.”

“She… what?” Kanan winces. Ruby’s voice is a horrified whisper. “The dragon… took her?”

Kanan looks away from Ruby, swallowing nervously. “…Yes.”

She hears Ruby breathe in shakily, her hands gripping Kanan’s nightdress tightly. Her nails dig into Kanan’s flesh, but between being numbed from the dragon fire and her trained stoicism, Kanan doesn’t even flinch. She simply keeps an eye glued to the wall, not moving a muscle save to breathe.

“Are you going to get her back?” Ruby eventually asks quietly. She looks up at Kanan. She’s still trembling, but there’s a hardness in her eyes that surprises Kanan. “You’re going to get her back, right? You have to.”

“I…”

Kanan bites her lip. “Lady Dia… ordered me to protect you, Ruby. I cannot leave your side. Not now. Not when the estate is torched and vulnerable.”

“B-But,” Ruby stares at Kanan. “No, you have to go get her! What’ll happen to her otherwise? She’s out there, all alone!”

“Lady Ruby, you are the second daughter of the Kurosawa family. Your lineage is second to none, except perhaps the old royalty. I cannot allow any harm to come to you,” Kanan says stiffly. “I have my orders—”

“I don’t care about any of that!” Ruby says, stamping her feet in a rare display of anger. “If Dia gets hurt, or- or dies, I… It wouldn’t matter if I’m okay! I can’t even begin to compare to my sister. She’s…”

Ruby stops, and takes a deep breath.

“Matsuura Kanan, royal knight, second class. I command you, by the power vested in me as the queen-to-be’s next of kin, to search for her!” Ruby orders, almost stumbling over her lines as she stares intensely at Kanan. The formality sounds strange coming from sweet, childish Ruby, but Kanan can sense the determination behind those words.

Kanan’s eyes widen a fraction. Then slowly, she shakes her head. “I’m afraid I cannot follow that order, my lady. Not if it directly contradicts orders from my liege. You are my charge, Lady Ruby, but I am sworn to Lady Dia. I must follow her orders to the last.”

Ruby lets go of Kanan, though her hands are still balled up into tight fists. “Do you really believe that?” Ruby asks, her voice quiet.

“…I swore an oath of fealty, Ruby.” Kanan murmurs.

“Then isn’t it counterproductive to be protecting me, when Dia is off somewhere in danger?”

“That’s—…” Kanan starts, but Ruby shakes her head, cutting her off.

“I… You’ve taken care of me ever since I was a child, Kanan.” Ruby says, her gaze lowering. “I may not know much about politics, or running a country, but I know you. And I know my sister.”

Ruby reaches up, laying a hand above Kanan’s heart. “I’m asking this not as a noble or your superior. I’m asking this as your friend, Kanan. Do you really believe what you’re saying?”

Kanan breathes in, unable to hold back a slight tremble in her body. Emotions bubble up, ones she long thought she’d managed to quash and lock away, bursting free in the wake of the terrible tragedy befallen upon them. “I…” She begins, her voice quavering. “I… I have my oaths. I need to…”

Ruby sighs, and shakes her head. “Forget your oaths, Kanan. Please? In your heart, what do you want to do?”

“I—”

Forgetting one’s oaths is tantamount to forsaking knighthood. For a knight of high standing, it is grounds for conviction as treason.

“I want to save her…”

But in her heart, Kanan knows what she wants to do.

Ruby smiles, nodding in satisfaction. “You’re a good knight, Kanan, but maybe you’re a little too serious. Dia’s a bad influence on you. If you want to do something, maybe you should just go do it.”

Ruby looks down bashfully, the authority she had evaporating in an instant. “But, well, I’m just a sheltered noble girl, so maybe I’m just speaking nonsense.”

“No,” Kanan lets out a shuddering breath. “…Thank you, Ruby.”

She straightens up, and puts a closed fist over her heart. “I, Matsuura Kanan, royal knight, second class, will follow your orders to the letter. I will locate Lady Kurosawa Dia, and return her safely to her estate.”

She smiles at Ruby. “I’ll bring her back. I promise.”

* * * * *

Kanan sets off the next morning. She’s on Dolphine, her faithful charger, with a small cart hitched to the horse large enough carry a few day’s worth of supplies. She has food and water, but first she’ll have to buy everything else she needs from town.

The Kurosawa estate sits nestled between two hills, with a river running behind one hill and the town the Kurosawas govern lying behind the other. In addition to buying supplies she also needs to gather information on the dragon and the direction it was headed from the townsfolk, who might have gotten a better look at it as it left the area.

When Kanan arrives in town, though, she comes across the most peculiar phenomenon.

“A dragon?” The stall keeper she’s questioning scratches his head. “Ain’t seen any, miss Knight. I’m awfully sorry. You sure it came this a-way?”

“Yes, gold like the sunset, as tall as a house. Are you sure you’ve not seen it fly overhead last night?”

“I reckon I’d know if a dragon came a flyin’… Can’t help ya. Sorry.” The shopkeeper shrugs.

Kanan sighs, and nods, picking out a few strips of smoked jerky for the journey ahead.

The same conversation occurs with all the other people Kanan question; shopkeepers, street cleaners, random pedestrians, the town guard, even the rats and urchins in back alleys, who eye her cart with far too much greed for her comfort. Eventually, after a few hours of asking around and buying supplies, she comes to an alleyway in which sits a beggar who claims to know everything that happens in the city.

“Are you absolutely certain you haven’t seen anything?” Kanan presses, frustration bleeding into her tone of voice. A dragon can’t simply disappear, can it? It’s massive, and it definitely flew over the hill towards town. There’s no way no one’s seen it

She thumbs her coin pouch. “I’ll pay handsomely for any information.”

The beggar looks up at the mention of pay, her eyes squinting at Kanan. “I, well, I _have_ heard something last night.”

Kanan swallows. This is the first lead she’s gotten all day. She produces a gold coin, keeping it out of the beggar’s reach but clearly visible. The beggar seems to salivate at the sight of it, and nods eagerly. “Yes, yes — I remember now. T’was a commotion in the forest bordering the town last night. Lotsa birds taken flight ’n’ some kinda shouting. Didn’t think it was anything special, might’ve just been the lumberjacks drinkin’ too much, but there’s that.”

Kanan nods shortly, and flicks the coin in the beggars direction, who hungrily swipes it out of the air. “Thanks you for your cooperation.”

Kanan comes back out of the alleyway, chases off the urchins sneaking up on her cart (now filled with the sort of supplies you’d need to camp and survive) and mounts Dolphine again.

“The forest…” Kanan murmurs. It’s still within the same of area of town, and sight of it is concealed by the hill. The woodland are dense enough to hide a beast, even one as large as a dragon, fairly easily. If the dragon was quiet and snuck over to the forest to lie low, it’s possibly still hiding there, waiting for attention to blow over.

Urging Dolphine on, Kanan rides towards the forest, her gloved hands gripping the reins tight.

* * * * *

The forest at night, for the most part, is quiet. There’s the usual chirping of crickets and rustling of the undergrowth as critters scurry past, but now that the sun has set, many of the animals are in hiding. Night time is the time for strange magicks and predators.

The air is still, though, and tastes faintly of sulphur and soot. Kanan’s nose wrinkles at the bitter smell.

It could be a gas pocket. But more likely it’s the gas used by dragons for their breath weapon. She draws her sword carefully - a lithe sabre embossed with wavy patterns along its slight curved blade, a weapon gifted to her family by the Watanabe house, purportedly imported from an island nation far to the east.

Kanan allows her mind to wander a little as Dolphine continues to trot along the game trail they’re following. She’s heard of the young head of the Watanabe house’s disappearance. It’s a shame; she knew Yo well during their training days, for a while she was even Yo’s trainer. But Yo was talented, and quickly surpassed Kanan’s rank once she got the hang of things. Kanan sighs, wondering where Yo is now. A woman like her isn’t easily killed, so she’s probably just off somewhere.

Maybe she finally ran off with a girl and settled down, Kanan muses.

As she’s thinking, though, she’s still paying attention to her surroundings, and she focuses back on the forest as Dolphine canters into a clearing where the tree cover breaks and the night sky is visible through an opening in the canopy. A mossy standing stone looms quietly in the middle of the clearing, a relic of an older age.

What catches Kanan’s attention, however, is the young woman kneeling in front of the standing stone.

She has golden hair, about shoulder length, elaborately braided with the braid ending in a loop on one side of her head. Her skin is lightly sun-kissed, and she’s wearing a simple white tunic and brown dress. Her eyes are closed, and with the dappled starlight washing over her she’s statuesque in beauty, unearthly and ethereal.

Dolphine whinnies uneasily at the sight of her, which rouses her from her praying position.

“Apologies for disturbing you,” Kanan says, nodding her head politely.

A woman in the woods, praying before a standing stone. A witch? Or the remnants of a druidic order, from a bygone era? Perhaps just a pagan worshipper. Whatever the case, she rises, bowing deeply at Kanan.

“Not at all, lady knight,” the woman says. “I was about to finish, anyway.”

She has a strange affectation to her voice. A foreigner? This deep into the country?

Kanan clears her throat. “Good lady, are you familiar with these parts? I need aid in searching for something.”

The woman lifts her head, looking at Kanan, and she’s shocked to see that the woman has brilliant golden eyes, like molten gold, or the sun captured within a marble. “My family owned a mill in these woods. I’ve lived here all my life. I’d say I’m familiar with the forest.”

Ah, a woodsman’s daughter. That makes sense. Many of those who live in the wild still pay homage to the older traditions, just for insurance. Kanan nods, and asks, “May I ask if you’ve seen a dragon land in these woods? I am pursuing the beast, and it was last seen flying over the hill in this direction.”

“A dragon! Why yes, I have!”

Kanan’s heartbeat quickens. A solid lead— dare she believe it? “Where was it headed? Please, I must find it.”

“It was speaking to someone - I couldn’t see who, since I was hiding in the brush, but the dragon mentioned the Eoland mountain range in the east,” the woman says.

“The Eoland range,” Kanan mutters excitedly. “That’s… a week and a few days away. I can make it.”

“Are you going to chase it, lady knight?” The woman asks.

“Of course,” Kanan says, getting ready to urge Dolphine on. “It has captured someone very important to me.”

“Someone important?” The woman tilts her head. “A friend?”

“A—” Kanan hesitates. “Yes. A friend.”

“Mm…” The woman hums, then she raises a hand. “Then, can I come with you? I know the wilds well. The ways of camping and survival. I won’t be a hassle.”

Kanan raises an eyebrow. “You’d willingly embark on a dragon hunt?”

“I’ve grown up with everything I needed to live, but I want more from life,” the woman says. Excitement glitters in her eyes, and her smile stretches wide on her lips. “I want to see the world. Meet people. Fall in love. I can’t do that stuck at home.”

Kanan chews on her bottom lip, thinking. To be honest, Kanan isn’t the best at camping. She’s lived either in a barracks or in a noble’s mansion most of her life. While she’s confident she can make do, having someone who’s used to outdoors survival would be helpful.

“…Well, if you’re willing to bear the risk,” Kanan nods. “You can sit in the cart. I only have one tent, I hope you don’t mind.”

The woman nods enthusiastically, and comes up to the cart, shuffling some of the supplies aside to make room. Kanan glances at her, and asks, “What’s your name? I’m Matsuura Kanan. I’m a royal knight.”

The woman looks up at Kanan for a moment. “Mari,” She answers. “Ohara Mari.”

“Nice to meet you, Mari,” Kanan says, urging Dolphine onwards. They can still go a little longer until the horse has to rest for the night.

* * * * *

“So, Mari.”

Kanan tosses another log onto the fire, watching the bark blacken and curl in the heat. Mari wasn’t lying about her survival skills - she had camp set up within fifteen minutes, and a roaring fire in five.

“Won’t the mill miss you if you go on this expedition with me?”

Mari, who’s sprawled out on a bedroll on the other side of the fire, considers that question for a while. “No,” she eventually says. “I live alone, now. My parents passed away.”

“Oh,” Kanan says quietly. “I’m sorry.”

Mari shakes her head. “It was a long time ago. They died peacefully, after a long life. It wasn’t sad.”

Kanan doesn’t say anything, just nodding awkwardly. It’s kind of hard to follow up a conversation opener like that.

“How about you?” To Kanan’s relief, Mari speaks up again, picking the conversation back up. “Do you have family?”

Kanan nods. “My parents live with my grandfather back home. Father used to be a knight, but he’s retired now. Same for my grandfather.”

“How is it like, being a knight? Being beholden to an oath?” She asks offhandedly.

“It’s… it’s nice, actually. My oath me direction in life. I pledge myself to a liege, and support her to my greatest ability.” Kanan says. She thinks about Dia. “My liege is fair and benevolent. She’s brilliant, like the sun. Graceful in mannerism, and wise in decisions. Beautiful like a diamond. I’m happy to serve her.”

Mari hums interestedly, staring into the fire. “Sounds like you admire her a lot,” she eyes Kanan slyly. “Perhaps a little more than admiration.”

Kanan tenses up. “I’m not permitted to feel love towards my liege. Such thoughts have no place in a knight’s pledge.”

“No one said anything about love,” Mari says, and Kanan’s cheeks grow red. Mari smirks, like a cat that has seized its prey. “Does love not touch the hardened heart of a warrior maiden?”

“S-Such things are—” Kanan stammers, flustered by Mari’s prodding. Love? Is that what she feels?

No. Surely not. Kanan respects Dia, admires her, idolizes her even. But love is not a feeling that should be felt towards Dia. Noble, earnest Dia, who spends more time fussing over the nation than caring for her own health, who spends countless sleepless nights slaving over finances and policies, who is beautiful no matter how bedraggled she feels and puts up a brave face despite the challenges she undergoes…

Love between liege and servant… such a thing is forbidden.

“That’s not it. It can’t be,” Kanan says, furrowing her brow. “It can’t be love.”

“Ah, to be young,” Mari smiles smugly, resting her chin on a raised knee. “It’s okay to like someone, you know? It’s only natural.”

“Y-You’re around the same age as I am, aren’t you?” Kanan says hotly, trying to deflect the subject.

Mari blinks, before she makes a little o of understanding and nods. “Well, yes, but clearly I have infinitely more life wisdom on my side,” she gives Kanan another smirk, before sitting up. “I’m tired, so I’m going to sleep. I’ll keep one side of the tent free for you, okay?”

Kanan mumbles something vaguely affirmative, and Mari gives Kanan a final smile before retreating into their tent. Kanan sighs, and tosses another branch into the fire, prodding at the ash with a stick.

Mari has given Kanan a lot to think about.

* * * * *

The next morning, after a plain breakfast of bread and jerky, the unlikely duo set off again, heading in a easterly direction. Kanan was uncertain which way to go, but Mari eerily seems to know exactly which way east is.

Kanan suspects Mari may have a hint of druid’s blood in her, given her strange but useful abilities. She can tell the direction immediately, and she can smell the air and predict the weather. She even seems to be able to speak to animals, though that might be just Kanan imagining things. Dolphine seems to be uneasy around Mari, though, for some reason. Kanan tries to reassure her, but the horse just wickers nervously and shies away from Mari. Though, she still does her job just fine.

As the sun starts to peek over the forest canopy nearing midday, Mari interrupts the comfortable silence they’ve been travelling in.

“I’ve been wondering, Kanan,” she says. “You say you were a hereditary knight?”

“That’s right,” Kanan nods. “My family has always served the Kurosawas.”

Mari thinks for a moment. “Kurosawa. That’s the famous noble family, isn’t it? Is the person you’re trying to rescue a Kurosawa as well?”

Kanan nods. “Yes. The eldest daughter. Kurosawa Dia.”

“Hmm.” Mari hums. “Have you served her since childhood?”

“Yeah.”

“What was that like?” Mari asks curiously.

“Well, I was shown this girl, the same age as me, and was told, ‘this is the person you will protect and support for the rest of your life’,” Kanan shrugs. “I trained day in and day out to ensure I could do that. Spent most of my early days in a military academy, training with other knight hopefuls and learning more about the world. Those were pretty good days, if a little gruelling. I got to start serving the Kurosawas proper when I was about eight. I wasn’t much good for actual protection then, but I got to familiarize myself with their routine.”

“Did you enjoy that?”

Kanan shrugs. Kanan shrugs. “We were kids. It was a fresh experience. We loved it. I remember pretending there were grave threats to the family. Monsters, barbarians, stuff like that. It scared Ruby, sometimes, but Dia found it amusing to play along. All things considered, it was a pretty normal childhood. Even then I was proud to be a knight and to uphold my family legacy.”

Kanan smiles faintly, remembering those times, when rank and hierarchy meant nothing. But those days are past - Ruby still has a leg in that long-forgotten world, but Kanan and Dia have responsibilities now. Duties and obligations. They can’t be children anymore.

Mari nods ponderously, leaning back in the cart behind Kanan. “Would you choose not to if you could go back?”

Kanan glances at Mari. She asks the strangest of questions sometimes. “Of course not.”

“Because of Kurosawa Dia?”

Kanan freezes abruptly, but she quickly regains her composure and allows her shoulders to relax. “Dia is… part of the reason why, yes.”

“Because you love her?” Mari asks. Her tone is innocuous but layered, like she knows more than she lets on. Kanan breathes in for a moment.

“Because she’s someone who needs protecting,” Kanan says.

“But also because you love her,” Mari says, a little more decisively this time.

Kanan grimaces. “It’s not that simple. Noble courtship rarely comes from love. A knight definitely does not court her liege. Even if Dia felt the same way it wouldn’t have worked.”

Mari tilts her head. “She doesn’t?”

“She doesn’t,” Kanan says with certainty.

“I don’t see why not,” Mari says offhandedly. “You’re quite the eligible bachelorette. Rugged good looks and all. Girls love a dashing knight or two.”

Kanan glances at Mari, momentarily caught off guard. She blushes faintly, but calmly responds, “Well, thanks for the compliment, but Dia deserves to be with someone better. Someone with sophistication to match her own, whose life revolves around more than just the sword.”

“Hm.” Mari looks Kanan over. “She’s never shown any affection for you?”

“Of course not—” Kanan starts to reply, before she stops, thinks for a moment, and eventually shakes her head. “…No, she hasn’t. I’ve known her for over a decade, and she always put her obligations first. And I respect her decision to do so.”

“So… you love her, but she doesn’t love you back?” Mari asks slowly.

“What’s the point of these questions, Mari?” Kanan asks, mildly exasperated. “I brought you along as a guide, not a life counsellor. I don’t even know why I’m telling you this much.”

“I could be a life counsellor, though,” Mari muses. She perks up. “Hey, once this is over, do you think you could convince Lady Kurosawa to take me on as a court counsellor?”

“From what I’ve seen of you, that’d be a terrible idea,” Kanan says wryly. “And you still haven’t answered my question.”

“Hmm? Oh, that question,” Mari thinks for a few seconds before saying, “Well, I just wanted to make sure.”

“Make sure of what?” Kanan asks.

Mari smiles and shakes her head. “Not important. Anyway, we need to make camp soon.”

“Huh?” Kanan looks up to the sky. It’s still bright, the sun barely past its zenith. “How come?”

“Rain,” Mari explains. “Lots of it.”

* * * * *

Mari was right. They set up camp in the woods, and Mari made sure to double-reinforce their tent and the horse’s makeshift stable with thick layers of leafy branches lashed together with vines and creepers. Within an hour of setting up camp, just as the sun was beginning to set, black clouds roll in across the horizon alarmingly fast, bringing with them torrential rainfall.

“How did you know?” Kanan asks, huddled under the safety of the canopy of the tent. At Mari’s suggestion they made a platform to elevate the tent floor off the ground. Another good call on Mari’s part, as the ground is now soaked and muddy from rainwater. Unfortunately that means no campfire, but they can deal with that for a night or two.

“It felt like rain,” Mari says vaguely. “Can’t really explain it.”

Kanan nods, not in the mood to press for more information. She peers through the curtain of rain at Dolphine, who seems to be doing fine thanks to Mari’s impromptu architecture.

“Good thing you called it, then,” Kanan says. She rummages around her bag, pulling out a bag of rations. “Want some jerky?” She asks, holding out a stick of jerky to Mari.

“Do I?” Mari eagerly accepts the jerky, tearing into it with gusto.

There’s something refreshing with how Mari acts. She’s a free spirit, as Kanan has learned over the day and a half of travelling they’ve spent together. She cares little for courtly etiquette, eats messily, has bizarre lapses in common sense, and is overall a peculiar figure. She can go from deeply perceptive and insightful one moment, to completely nonsensical and random the next.

But she’s a good person, Kanan can tell. As unexpected (and a little annoying) as they are, her attempts to troubleshoot Kanan’s feelings for Dia seem to come from a place of genuine kindness.

“Hey, Mari?” Kanan asks tentatively.

“Hm?” Mari looks over, still in the middle of devouring the stick of jerky.

“Have you been in love before?”

Mari thinks the question over as she chews up the last bits of jerky and swallows dramatically. “Well, yes. Plenty of times.”

Kanan nods quietly. Mari seems knowledgeable about relationships, at least of the common, non-nobility variety, so it’s not surprising.

“Did they go well?” Kanan asks.

“Haven’t settled down yet, have I?” Mari chuckles. “I’ve had a few flings here and there. Nothing that lasted.”

“I see…”

Kanan stares out into the rain. “Dia will eventually have to marry,” She says.

“Naturally,” Mari agrees. “Nobles tend to do that.”

“I don’t know if I can bear to see that happen.” Kanan murmurs. It’s quiet, almost too quiet to be heard by most, but Mari still seems to lift her head in recognition.

Mari glances at Kanan for a long while. “Won’t you do anything about it?”

“I’m just a glorified soldier. She’s next in line for the throne. What could I do, ask for her hand in marriage instead?”

Mari shrugs. “You could. If she wasn’t queen, maybe.”

“If you’re saying I should get in the way of my lady’s ambitions,” Kanan begins crossly, before Mari holds up a hand to get her attention.

“I’m not saying you should. But have you ever talked to Dia about it? About ascension and marriage? About the future?” Mari shrugs again, but gives Kanan a meaningful look. “I’m just saying that sometimes people hide things. Especially from those that they care about.”

“That’s…” Kanan starts to speak, but she falls silent, looking thoughtfully down at the floor.

“What someone wants and what you think is best for them… aren’t always the same.” Mari gives Kanan a mysterious smile, like she knows more than she lets on.

“You should go to sleep, Kanan. The rain’ll only come down harder until much later.”

* * * * *

They came in the night. Kanan slept soundly for a few hours, until a horrific noise rouses her from her slumber.

It’s like wild dogs fighting each other, guttural howling and snarling and the sickly squelch of tooth and claw sinking into flesh. Dolphine lets out a sharp whinny, and Kanan falls off of the platform of the tent down into the muddy ground below.

“What’s going on?!” She gasps, fumbling for her sabre as she looks around. Immediately she sees pairs of red spots in the darkness, all around the campsite, hovering like balls of red fire a few feet off the ground. The rain has let up, and the faint moonlight that makes it past the cloud cover illuminates a chilling sight.

Wolves. Unnaturally large, with black fur and burning red eyes, crooked yellow teeth and a form bulging with thick, corded muscles, barely concealed by their shaggy coats. One seems to have made an attempt at attacking Dolphine, but failed to land more than a few claw marks on the fierce warhorse.

“Kanan?!”

Mari is standing a little distance away from the tent, between Kanan and the wolves. She has her arms out, and for a moment her fingers almost seem sharp under the moonlight - but then Kanan blinks and Mari looks normal again. She looks at Kanan in shock, before turning back to the pack of wolves.

“Mari, what are you doing?! Get behind me!” Kanan shouts, drawing her sabre and scrambling to her feet. She’s just wearing chainmail, the half-plate she normally has on piled up at a corner of the tent. Dolphine is threatening the wolves, pawing at the ground every so often, rearing up to try and intimidate them. So far it keeps them at bay, but Kanan doubts it’ll be for much longer.

“Get back! Hyah!” Kanan shouts as loud as she can, brandishing her sword and making slicing motions through the air. The wolves don’t seem dissuaded, continuing the circle the campsite, growling and snapping at the air menacingly.

“If only you hadn’t woken up…” Mari mumbles, too quiet for Kanan to hear. Shaking her head, she points over at one of the larger wolves, and says, “That’s the alpha! Chase it off, and the pack will run!”

That’s not how wolves work, Kanan wants to complain, but in this case she trusts Mari’s mysterious connection with nature more than she trusts herself. Bringing her sword to bear, she lets out a loud shout before beelining for the ‘alpha’ wolf. Immediately a smaller wolf leaps at her, snapping its jaws savagely at her throat.

Kanan sidesteps, holding her sabre out so the wolf’s own momentum impales itself onto the blade. The steel bites cleanly into the wolf’s neck, severing its windpipe and glancing off its spinal column. The impact almost jerks the sword out of Kanan’s grip, but she holds tight, planting a foot against the wolf and smoothly pulling the blade back out.

The first wolf collapses, but before Kanan can catch a break, another wolf jumps between her and the alpha, snapping at her as the alpha slinks off into the undergrowth.

Kanan grits her teeth - by herself she can probably fend them off, but to keep Mari safe as well is a bit of a challenge. She looks back - it seems Dolphine is doing a good job of lashing at anything that gets too close to the tent, but there’s no guarantee she’ll hold for long.

She slashes at the wolf in front of her, cutting a line across its cheek and driving it back. It whimpers and retreats, but just as Kanan is about to press forward, she hears a cry of alarm and she feels something heavy hit her from behind, claws scrabbling against her chainmail armor. There’s a crunch, and jagged teeth puncture the chain links around her shoulder, sending stabbing pain through the left side of her body.

“Damn it!” Kanan swears loudly, thrusting her sabre under her left arm and sliding the blade between two ribs. The wolf yelps and lets go of her shoulder, falling backwards from the shock of having its lung be punctured. “Mari! Where is the alpha?!”

“There!” Kanan looks were Mari is pointing, and narrows her eyes, letting out a fierce shout and charging at the alpha. She mutters another curse as a wolf leaps up to stop her, but she only roars out in anger and angles herself so she jams her uninjured shoulder into the wolf’s gut, bodychecking it with all her might.

The wolf lets out a hacking cough, its internal organs shaken by the savage tackle, but Kanan just keeps running, crushing the wolf between her and the alpha as she throws her entire weight against the alpha wolf. The combined weight of Kanan and the poor wolf sends the alpha tumbling across the forest floor, its legs scrabbling uselessly against the wet mud on the ground.

Breathing heavily, Kanan shoves the injured wolf aside, and rounds on the alpha, brandishing her sabre. Just as she sinks the blade into the flank of the winded alpha, it writhes around, and sinks its teeth into Kanan’s torso. Its dagger-like teeth punch through her chainmail easily, and its powerful jaw closes around her side, almost crushing her. Kanan bites back a scream of pain, only letting out a ragged hiss despite half of her waist being in the process of being torn out by the alpha.

She pulls her sabre out of the alpha’s flank, this time bringing it down on the alpha’s neck, aiming right for the jugular. The razor-sharp blade slices through muscle and tendon easily, and with a pained grunt she pulls back and slices the alpha’s entire throat open.

The alpha’s bite slackens, and Kanan immediately pries the alpha’s jaws apart, staggering back and clutching her side. The bite mark is bleeding profusely, and she can feel herself going numb already. She turns around, glaring at the rest of the wolves.

“Any of you want a piece of me?!” She shouts, raising her bloody sword. The wolves growl and snap at her, but just as Mari said, once the alpha is dead they begin to retreat back into the woods. Kanan glares at them as they leave, her jaw set into a deep scowl.

Once the wolves have all fled, she allows her tensed up body to relax, and she turns back towards the tent. “Are you okay?”

Mari nods, but when she sees Kanan’s injuries she immediately rushes forward to support her. “Forget me, are you okay?”

Kanan shrugs. “I’ve been through worse,” she says, though her breathing is laboured and her skin is covered by a thin sheen of sweat. “I just need a sit down.”

“You’re being ridiculous,” Mari purses her lips. “I’m going to take off your chainmail to look at your wounds, ok?”

Kanan grimaces slightly, but nods. She hisses in pain but bears with it as Mari starts to pull the chainmail off her. “How’s it?” She asks.

“It’s… bad. Not life threatening with the right treatment, but…” Mari takes a deep breath. “I don’t think you’ll be able to continue on your quest.”

“What?” Kanan shakes her head. “No, I’m fine. I feel fine.”

“Not according to this wound, you’re not,” Mari says. She frowns as she examines the bite on Kanan’s side. “The chainmail prevented the worst of the puncture injury, but the way the alpha jerked you around tore a lot of the muscle in the area. If it’d struggled for any longer it might have ripped your entire torso open. You need to sit down.”

“It doesn’t feel that bad,” Kanan tries to argue, as Mari pushes her back into the tent.

“You’re running on the high of the fight. Once you come down from that you’ll feel like shit,” Mari says, making sure Kanan settles down on a bedroll. She wets a rag, and starts wiping away the blood leaking from the ragged bite wound on Kanan’s waist. “Honestly, it’s crazy that you’re even conscious right now. Most people would faint from shock already.”

“Again,” Kanan grunts as Mari presses the wet rag against her wound. “It’s not the worst I’ve been through. Do you know how to stitch wounds?”

“Yes, but—”

“Good. Patch me up. We’re going to keep moving tomorrow,” Kanan says, closing her eyes to better endure the pain.

“We are not moving tomorrow, not with your current condition.”

“I need to find Dia, Mari.” Kanan says.

“You need bedrest, is what you need.” Mari says firmly. “The nearest village is a few hours westward. If we leave in the morning you’ll have a nice soft bed to sleep in tomorrow night.”

She turns to wash out the rag, but Kanan reaches out with a trembling arm and grabs onto Mari’s sleeve. “I’m going to go find her. I have to. You can come with me, or you can leave.”

“You’re going to kill yourself just riding your horse,” Mari says flatly.

Kanan grimaces. She can finally feel her body begin to shut down from the damage, her limbs feeling like they’ve been injected with lead, and her vision starts to swim. “I’ll be careful and take things easy. Dia doesn’t have the leisure to take things easy. It’s been a day already, anything could have happened to her.”

“Do you really think, if Dia was kidnapped by a dragon, that you in this state will be any help at all?” Mari asks pointedly.

“I could do something, at least,” Kanan grunts. “As opposed to nothing.”

Mari sighs. “Are you that determined to ruin yourself for your unrequited love?”

“Yes,” Kanan coughs. Her lungs feel like they’re filling with water, and breathing is getting difficult while still craning her neck to speak to Mari.

“Mm. Well, at least you’re romantic,” Mari mumbles. She takes a deep breath, and picks up a dagger.

“Where are you going?” Kanan asks weakly, as Mari takes a bowl and steps outside of the tent.

Mari glances at Kanan. “I’ll be right back,” she says, stepping away and out of sight from the entrance of the tent.

Kanan breathes out laboriously, closing her eyes for a moment. Her head is spinning, possibly from blood loss. She knows, in her heart, that Mari is right. If she continues now, she’s probably going to open up the wound even more and probably bleed out to death.

She curses her carelessness. Because she was up against simple animals, she let her guard down, and suffered the consequences. She tries to shift her weight to avoid putting pressure on her side, but she remembers, too late, that her opposite shoulder is also injured. She winces, and breathes out through clenched teeth.

Idiot. Idiot, idiot, idiot. Because of her carelessness Dia’s now in even more danger than ever. Her publicity and popularity means that a large rescue party can’t be launched; what kind of queen starts off her career by getting kidnapped? Kanan is the only one who’s going after her, save possibly a few independent agents sent off in different directions that Kanan is heading in.

As Kanan laments her pitiful state, Mari comes back, the bowl now filled with a viscous golden-red liquid.

“Drink this,” Mari says, putting the bowl up to Kanan’s lips.

Kanan takes a tentative drink, and promptly coughs out in surprise as an explosive spicy taste hits her tongue. “What is that?” She wheezes, her mouth burning as though it’s on fire.

“Dragon’s blood,” Mari says.

“F-For real?!”

“Of course not. It’s a sap with strong regenerative properties.” Mari says, rolling her eyes. “I spotted it when we were on the trail.”

“That’s convenient,” Kanan mumbles, carefully drinking from the bowl. The flavour fades after a while, but Kanan suspects that’s more because her tongue is numb than because of the actual fluid.

Almost as soon as Mari takes away the bowl, a warmth starts to spread through Kanan’s body, a tingling sensation like she’s being immersed in warm water. The aches in her muscles abate, and even her wounds sting a little less. She breathes out, the tension leaving her body.

“Whoa,” Kanan says. “That’s… effective.”

“Effective, and very rare.” Mari says. “Now you should sleep. It’ll speed up the healing process.”

Kanan looks at Mari. There’s something weird about her expression, like she’s been put off by something. She opens her mouth to ask, but just as she does so, she notices something else. “Mari, you’re hurt,” She says, noting a deep cut along Mari’s forearm.

Mari recoils like she’s been hit, holding her arm close to her body. “It’s nothing,” She says. “I’ll stitch it up when you go to bed.”

Kanan nods sluggishly. It must be the… dragon’s blood, or whatever, taking effect, because Kanan suddenly feels incredibly drowsy. Leaning back on her bedroll, she sighs, and allows herself to drift off to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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When Kanan wakes up the next morning, she feels unbelievably refreshed. Her muscles aren’t sore, she doesn’t feel groggy, and her wounds don’t even hurt. In fact, when she peels off the cloth pressed up to her wound to soak up the blood, she’s shocked to see that the wound has almost completely healed. There’s a mass of scar tissue, sure, but the incisions have become only shallow pinpricks, and from the feeling of it the torn muscle fibres have regrown as well.

Sitting up, Kanan pulls up her tunic and gazes at her almost flawlessly healed abdomen in wonder, then goes to touch her shoulder. The same thing happened there; the bite marks have healed over, replaced by scarred but otherwise completely healthy tissue.

“Mari?” Kanan calls, looking around. She’s not in the tent, so Kanan tentatively steps off of the raised floor of the tent, poking her head outside. There Mari is, sitting by a campfire and roasting something or another. “Hey.”

Mari glances in Kanan’s direction, before looking back at the fire.

Kanan steps out into the cool morning air. “Mari?” She asks again, walking up to the woman.

Mari sighs irritably and looks at Kanan. “Aren’t you going to go on your heroic quest now?” She asks snappily.

Kanan pauses. “I, er, just woke up,” she says hesitantly. “The thing you gave me last night really worked.”

Mari looks Kanan up and down, her gaze softening slightly. “Well, good,” she says, inching over to give Kanan access to the fire.

Kanan gingerly sits down, unwrapping a slice of hard bread and toasting it slightly with the campfire.

She eyes Mari uneasily, and clears her throat. “Thank you for patching me up,” she says.

“Well, I couldn’t leave you there to bleed out and die, could I?” Mari mutters.

“Still,” Kanan scratches the back of her head. “I owe you.”

“In that case, do me a favour and don’t get hurt again,” Mari says. She glances at Kanan, eyeing her scarred shoulder. “You’re not much use to your precious liege as a cripple.”

Kanan flinches slightly at Mari’s scathing remark. “I was trying to protect you.”

“If you sacrificed yourself for every girl you pick up off the road you’ll never make it to Dia, you know?”

“That’s…” Kanan opens her mouth to argue, but finds herself at a loss for words. Mari is right. Her loyalties are to Dia first and the people second. Eventually she just weakly says, “Well, I couldn’t just stand by and watch you get hurt.”

“I know you can’t.” Mari sighs. She stands up, meandering towards Dolphine. Strangely enough the horse seems to have forgotten its fear of Mari, allowing her to pat the horse on the muzzle. “That’s what makes it so frustrating to see you try.”

The last part seems to be aimed for at herself rather than for it to be heard by Kanan. After a pause in which Mari just pensively pets Dolphine, she eventually clears her throat. “Come on, once you’re done with breakfast we should get moving. You want to catch up to Dia, right?”

“You’re not going to tell me to take it easy?” Kanan asks.

Mari shakes her head, smiling wryly. “And distract you from your chivalrous goal? You’ve shown me last night that you’ll do anything to protect Dia. Who am I to get in the way of that?”

She clambers onto the back of the cart. “Now, put your big muscles to use and pack up camp. I’ll be taking a nap in the meantime.”

Kanan raises an eyebrow. “Aren’t you going to help pack up?”

“Did I or did I not just spend the whole night awake keeping your wounded ass alive? You do it.” Mari waves a hand from where she’s laid out on the cart.

Kanan sighs, but acknowledging her point, she goes up to the tent and starts dismantling the setup.

* * * * *

“Y’know, last night, when the wolves attacked, you were just out in the open,” Kanan mentions as Dolphine continues to canter over the beaten track. They’ve made it out of the woodlands a little after morning, and the landscape has gradually transitioned to wide tracts of rolling plains and low undulating hills over the course of a few hours. It makes Dolphine’s job easier, though, and it makes for a much less bumpy ride for Mari. “Why didn’t you wake me up immediately?”

Mari glances at Kanan from behind the cart as it rumbles along the flattened grass and dusty earth. “I was _going_ to.”

“Really? Because it looked like you were going to, I don’t know, engage the feral dire wolves in fisticuffs instead,” Kanan says. She glances at Mari, and after a few moments of no response, she continues slowly. “Look, I already know you’re more than meets the eye. There’s no way a simple woodsman’s daughter would be so eager to embark on this journey. I may be a royal knight, but I’m no paladin. I’m not going to persecute you just because you have witch or druidic blood or something like that.”

Kanan touches a hand to her waist, feeling the scarred marks under her armor. “I don’t know much about you, but I do know that you’re a good person. I’m not going to judge you just for being different.”

The wheels go over a stone, and the cart rattles.

“A good person…” Mari smiles sadly. “I’m just a selfish girl who likes to meddle, Kanan.”

“Maybe so, but at least I don’t think you’re a bad person,” Kanan says, scratching her cheek. “I’m not going to press for an answer. I just want you to know that I’m not going to judge you for what you are, so you don’t have to hide who you are from me.”

She thinks for a moment, and then adds hastily, “I mean, if you want to, that is”

Mari looks at Kanan for a moment, chewing on her bottom lip. “Thank you,” Mari says. She pauses, and tilts her head mischievously. “Are you this kind to any girl you met or just me?”

Kanan sits up straighter, looking straight ahead. “I want to trust you,” Kanan says, slightly shyly. “I enjoy your company, and I want to know more about you. That’s not unusual, is it?”

“Well, no, but…” Mari breathes out slowly. “How about this? Any relationship involves give and take. You be honest with me, and I’ll be honest with you. I answer a question, and you answer a question. How does that sound?”

Kanan nods. “Sounds fair.”

“In that case…” Mari licks her lips. “How do you feel about Dia, really?”

“You’re not pulling your punches, huh?” Kanan smiles wryly. “Well, I… admire her. And respect her. She’s the most incredible person I’ve met in my life. She is my liege. She gives my life meaning and purpose. I love her.”

She glances back at Mari. “My turn. Is your name really Ohara Mari?”

“Ohara is a false name, but Mari is real. I don’t have a last name,” Mari says smoothly. “What do you plan to do once you’ve rescued Dia?”

“Well… I’ll bring her back to the estate, of course. And then… She’ll ascend the throne.”

“Do you really want that to happen?”

Kanan bites her lip.

“I want her to be successful. I’ll support her no matter what,” she says quietly. “Why did you volunteer to come with me, knowing the risks?”

“You seem like an interesting person. The world doesn’t have enough of those to spare so I wanted to keep you alive,” Mari says. “Well, initially anyway. But now I just like you, so I don’t want you dying on me.”

She thinks for a moment. “Are you going to support Dia in spite of your feelings for her? You know that if she becomes queen you’ll have lost any chance of being romantically involved with her.”

Kanan grimaces slightly. “I never had a chance to begin with. I am her knight. That’s all I need to be to her.” She glances at Mari. “Why are you asking me questions like these?”

“Is that your question for me?” Mari smirks.

“Well… yeah, I guess.” Kanan says.

Mari hums, and says, “I want you to be happy. If I’m going to be honest, when I saw you I thought you were the most miserable person I’ve ever seen. You were tense and anxious and had all kinds of repressed feelings. Generally humans are happier if they’re being honest with themselves.”

Kanan wants to comment on how Mari said _human_ like she’s not one, but the rest of her statement catches Kanan off guard.

Is she miserable? Kanan has never considered that possibility before. Sure, her life isn’t exactly the most exciting, but surely she isn’t miserable.

“I’m not—” Kanan starts to say, before Mari interrupts her.

“When was the last time you were happy? Like, truly happy. Not just amused, or entertained, but happy.” Mari asks.

Kanan thinks. Her mind combs through her memories of the past month, then the past few months, then the past few _years_ , and comes up with the disturbing realization that the last time she was happy might’ve been years ago when she was still a squire.

“I… can’t remember clearly.” Kanan admits. “It might’ve been when I was first introduced to Dia and Ruby.”

“That long ago, huh?” Mari says.

Kanan shakes her head. “My work is not the most interesting or exciting. I may not be happy, but I’m satisfied simply supporting Dia and Ruby in their duties.”

Mari sighs. “Living life like an automaton is not living at all, Kanan… Can’t you put aside your duties to enjoy life for once?”

“Is that a question, Mari?” Kanan asks quietly.

“Well… let’s say it is.”

“No.” Kanan says firmly. “No, I cannot.”

Mari lets out a long sigh, and rolls over in the cart. “I know.” She says glumly.

* * * * *

Night on the plains is quiet. Unlike camping in the woods, where the forest life can be even louder than during daytime, all that can be heard is the rustling grass in the cool night breeze. The campfire crackles quietly as it slowly fades into embers, casting a faint orange glow around the campsite.

Kanan and Mari lie back to back in the tent, a canvas sheet drawn up over them as a makeshift blanket. Neither of them speak - even though they’re both well awake, there’s a heaviness in the air that prompts both of them to be silent.

Kanan has a lot to think about. She thinks about Dia, where she might be, what she might be doing. She thinks about home, if Ruby’s handling the estate alright, if the servants have managed to clean up the mess left behind by the fire. She thinks about Mari, and her strange prying questions that seem to cut straight into the doubts Kanan harbours in her heart.

Her duty is to serve Dia, and yet she loves Dia. Her oath decides their relationship, and yet she wants to be more than just a simple knight. After she goes to save Dia, no doubt Dia will ascend the throne post haste to avoid further complications, and what’ll happen after that? Kanan will no longer be her only knight. As queen, Dia will command all the royal knights of the land, and Kanan’s not even one of the more prominent knights.

“Having trouble sleeping?”

Kanan turns slightly to look over her shoulder. Mari isn’t looking at her, but she can tell Mari has her eyes open as well. She breathes out slowly, and turns back to face her side of the tent. “Not really,” Kanan says. “Just... thinking.”

“A dangerous new pastime,” Mari says. “What about?”

Kanan licks her lips. “…Not much. Nothing important.”

Mari snorts. She turns over, glancing at Kanan’s back. “You’re a terrible liar,” She says wryly, sitting up. “I assume you don’t want to talk about it?”

“You know me so well,” Kanan mutters.

“I’m sorry if I’m being pushy,” Mari says suddenly, causing Kanan to raise an eyebrow to herself in surprise. “As I said, I just want you to be happy.”

“I know,” Kanan sighs. “But my relationship with Dia is… not so simple.”

Mari is silent for a long while.

“…Mari?” Kanan asks tentatively. She turns around, and sits up as well. Mari is sitting with her knees tucked up to her chest, her back to Kanan. “Is something the matter?”

“I—” Mari almost bites her tongue trying to stop herself. She breathes out slowly, seeming to mull over her words. “Does it have to be with Dia?”

Kanan tilts her head. “…What do you mean?”

“You say that you can’t be together with Dia… at least not in the way that you want.” Mari says slowly, looking down at the ground. She traces a finger through the earth, and in the dim light Kanan doesn’t catch sight of a single sharpened fingernail scratching a deep line into the packed earth of the plains. “You haven’t been with anyone else, have you? Aren’t you curious if you could be happy with someone else?”

“Well I… haven’t ever thought about it,” Kanan admits. She thinks for a moment. “I’ve been told to focus on Dia all my life. My life has always revolved around her. Everyone else was either a subordinate, or an enemy.”

“All about your duty, eh? Sounds like you,” Mari sighs.

“I can’t keep Dia and Ruby safe if I’m focused on someone else,” Kanan shrugs. It’s true - she’s always had something to do that she just hasn’t had the time to consider such things. Ruby and Dia always comes before her own life.

“Well, I’m neither a subordinate, or an enemy.” Mari says.

Kanan looks sharply over at Mari. “What are you saying?” She asks. Surely she’s not suggesting…?

But Kanan’s suspicions are confirmed when Mari turns around, leaning forward so she’s on all fours. “I’m saying, why not be with me instead?” She says, prowling closer to Kanan with an alluring feline grace. Kanan feels her cheeks warm up slightly as she notices Mari’s tunic hang loosely over her ample form - from where she’s sitting, she has a pretty good angle to look down the neck of Mari’s tunic.

Before Kanan can formulate a response, Mari is already in front of her, fixing Kanan with this sultry, smouldering look that makes Kanan feel hot under the collar. She leans in close, just an inch shy of pressing up against Kanan. “If Dia’s never going to reciprocate your feelings, then it’s fine, right? Even if it’s only tonight. Even if it doesn’t mean anything more than a night of passion.”

Kanan’s mouth feels dry as she watches Mari’s advance. “I- Mari, I…” She tries to think of something to say, but it’s like a switch has been flipped in her mind - it’s all blank save for Mari’s hypnotic golden eyes and luscious lips and rosy flushed cheeks.

Mari practically drapes herself over Kanan, arms resting daintily over her shoulders, her legs comfortably straddling Kanan. Because of the dark, Kanan only realizes now that Mari isn’t wearing her skirt - just her tunic. She swallows, hoping her cheeks aren’t as red as they feel.

Mari leans in, her lips just barely brushing Kanan’s ears, sending a tingle down her spine. “Dia doesn’t know what she’s missing out on,” She whispers, her voice low and husky. “I’ll show you what a real woman’s like.”

She’s right. If Kanan can never be with Dia, then… then it’s okay to be with someone else, right? And Kanan has to admit at this point that she’s attracted to Mari, definitely on a physical level but also on an emotional one as well. And it’s so much simpler, what she feels for Mari. There’s none of the complications that plagues Kanan’s feelings for Dia. It’s attraction, raw and simple.

Mari cups Kanan’s cheeks with her hands, and leans in. She’s less than an inch away, all Kanan can see is Mari, her golden eyes rippling with desire but also this tenderness that catches Kanan off guard. “Is this okay?” She asks.

Kanan nods, and Mari closes the distance between them, pressing their lips together. Kanan closes her eyes, savouring the sensation. Mari is warm, her whole body’s warm, but her lips in particular almost seem hot. She leans into the kiss, her arms automatically looping around Mari’s back to pull her closer.

Mari’s way better than her at kissing. It doesn’t help that it’s more or less Kanan’s first romantic kiss, she’s lucky Mari doesn’t mind that much. Mari pulls back a little after the initial kiss runs its course, giving Kanan a sultry smile. She teases at Kanan’s bottom lip with her tongue, a tiny serpentine flick that’s almost electrifying to the senses. Kanan takes the cue and opens her mouth, allowing Mari to deepen the kiss.

Mari hums as she leans in, joyful vibrations spreading throughout her body and into Kanan’s as well. Their tongues touch, and it’s a heart stopping sensation and Kanan just wants to keep going. It’s terrifying how easily Kanan forgets about everything else in the heat of the moment.

Mari’s hands wander all over Kanan’s body, but she lets out a little whine of dissatisfaction at the chainmail still encasing Kanan’s form. Breaking off the kiss, she gives Kanan a moment to breathe before instructing her, “Take it off.”

Kanan doesn’t need to be told twice, shrugging off the mail like a snake shedding skin. She’s never felt like she needed something this badly before, and Mari’s eyes on her makes her skin feel like it’s burning.

“If we’re going to,” Kanan pauses, letting the word go unsaid. "I… don’t really know how it goes.”

“Oh, don’t you worry,” Mari purrs, pushing forward. She’s surprisingly strong, and Kanan finds herself pinned against the bottom of the tent. She leans close to Kanan again, and says seductively, “I know exactly how it goes.”

Kanan swallows, nervous, but also eager.

_It’s going to be a long night._

* * * * *

“Lady Ruby…”

Ruby was just walking down a hallway from a visit to the chapel when she feels a hand on her shoulder. She squeaks, and whirls around in alarm, though she relaxes slightly when she sees the person behind her. “Oh, Archibald! You surprised me.”

“My apologies, Lady Ruby.” The old chamberlain bows deeply, laying a gloved hand over his chest. He rises back up, giving Ruby a kindly smile. “I suppose everyone is rather tense these days, aren’t they?”

Ruby nods slightly. Archibald is like a father to her, in the absence of a more conventional father figure due to her own parents being so busy with their work. She allows herself to lower her guard, and breathes out shakily. “It’s been… difficult, Archibald,” Ruby admits. She taps her index fingers together. “I… I’ve been speaking to Hanamaru, and she says I shouldn’t worry because it’s Kanan we’re talking about, but… I’m still worried.”

“It’s only natural, my lady,” Archibald says comfortingly. “Lady Dia is important to all of us in the Kurosawa estate. Not to mention the kingdom as a whole. And she’s your sister, after all.” He pats Ruby gently on the head, continuing to reassure her, “Besides, Dame Matsuura is out looking for her. If anyone can keep her safe, it’s her. Kanan may not be an inhuman questing machine like some of the first class knights, but she’s tough, and she’s resourceful. Most of all she’s determined. She’ll find Lady Dia.”

Ruby closes her eyes slightly as she’s being petted, almost like a small animal, and a surge of protectiveness rises in Archibald’s old, withered heart. Ruby has that effect on people. It’s why she’s so popular, even amongst the common rabble. But – Archibald has to remind himself that Ruby is quickly growing up. She’s not a child anymore, needing to bear the Kurosawa name.

“But that reminds me…” Archibald clears his throat. “With everything going on, I hate to put this on you, Lady Ruby, but the nobles of the Court have assembled to speak to you.”

“Are they going to ask for an update on Dia’s situation?” Ruby asks weakly, her mood brought further down at the thought of having to speak to the nobles.

“I know it’s intimidating, my lady, but you’re the only one who has the authority to talk to them, with Lord and Lady Kurosawa on tour.” Archibald puts a hand on Ruby’s shoulder, squeezes gently. “You have Kurosawa blood in you, Lady Ruby. The strength is there. You just need a little confidence.”

“I’ll try my best,” Ruby sniffs, before straightening up a little. “I’ll do my rubesty!”

“Atta girl,” Archibald smiles. He gives her a gentle push, changing course towards the foyer of the estate. “There is a carriage outside to take you to the palace. Shall I escort you as well?”

Ruby shakes her head, though she still gives Archibald a grateful smile. “It’s okay. I’ll go with the personal guard Kanan set for me. You’re needed here to coordinate the staff. The place is still a bit of a mess.”

“A wise decision, milady,” Archibald bows formally, though when he rises back up he has a twinkle in his eyes, like a parent watching their child who’s grown up. “All we need is a little more time. Convince them to wait a few more days before sending a search party. It’s all we need. This doesn’t need to be any bigger than necessary.”

Ruby nods. Right now, the only people who know about Dia’s disappearance are those in the estate, Kanan, and the Court. If the other noble houses knew of Dia’s kidnapping, they’d descend on the family like vultures. The Kurosawas have clout, but not so much that they can fend off the political machinations of the twenty other noble houses presiding over the kingdom.

“I’ll convince them,” Ruby promises. “I’ll make Dia proud.”

Giving Archibald a curt nod, Ruby heads back to her room to get dressed, maids-in-waiting already poised to help her change into a proper gown.

Ruby feels a pit in her stomach, but also a wild confidence borne of desperation. With Dia and her parents away, she’s the only one left to uphold the Kurosawa name.

It’s just a meeting with six of the most powerful and influential nobles in the kingdom of Ura. No sweat, right?

* * * * *

Mari watches Kanan as she sleeps. Kanan looks so peaceful like that, snoring quietly.

She snores. _That’s adorable._ Mari cracks a smile, but it quickly fades away when she remembers what she must do. She wants to stay there with Kanan, but she knows what needs to be done. She sits up, carefully extracting herself from Kanan’s embrace. It’s not hard with her asleep, and Mari’s own strength.

Kanan has a stray hair that droops onto her face, and Mari sighs, brushing it out of her face. She leans close, kissing Kanan on the forehead. “I’m sorry it has to be this way,” She says wistfully. She means it, too. Even now she feels that deep, primal attraction towards the knight. Mari wants Kanan. She wants Kanan so badly. To keep her close and never let her go.

But - she has to go. She needs to stop it before it’s too late. Sleeping with Kanan was bad enough, she can’t let it get any worse.

Standing up, she looks around for a moment and pulls Kanan’s map out from her belt pouch, discarded to one side during their heated moment. Scanning the map, her eyes settles on a spot along the Eoland range, and she places a finger on the spot, the tip of the finger glowing faintly. When she lifts it, a mark is seared into the paper. With a few more deft strokes, she scratches out a message on the margin of the map, before setting it down on the floor beside the sleeping Kanan.

With that done, she breathes out slowly, crawling out of the tent and stretching out in the cool night air. Across the plains, the horizon has only just begun to turn from dark blue to faint purple. Sun’s still a good few hours away, which gives Mari plenty of time to move.

She turns around, looking back into the tent. Kanan is still slumbering away, with no signs of waking any time soon. Her gaze lingers on Kanan for a moment, allowing herself to be tempted one last time before inevitably turning away and facing the horizon.

“I’m sorry,” she murmurs. “I’ll see you soon, okay?”

She breathes in, focusing for a moment.

There’s a hurricane burst of wind, in her place is a great golden beast, with wings stretching from horizon to horizon and its head in the clouds. With a single flap of its mighty wings, it takes flight, vanishing into the skyline and leaving the campsite almost completely undisturbed despite the commotion.

Propelled forward by its powerful wings, the glittering serpent crosses the sky, spanning the length of plains and forests in only a few wingbeats. Below it the world blurs, melding together. The dragon closes its eyes for a moment, feeling the wind beating against its face.

But soon enough it is brought out of its stupor as it approaches its destination. Landing at the foot of an impressive mountain range, in front of a cave carved into the face of a cliff, the beast exhales a breath of smoke and ash that blots out the sky like a storm cloud. When the smoke dissipates, the dragon’s body is gone, replaced once again by the form of Mari, stepping out of the steam and haze into the open.

She waits a moment for all the smoke to clear, before closing her eyes and heaving a deep sigh.

“Dia,” she calls out, stepping into the cave. It’s dark, but her golden eyes pierce through the darkness as easily as daylight, and she sees clearly the young woman sitting on the most ridiculously elaborate, gold-gilded king-sized bed look up.

“Mari,” Dia folds her arms. “So you’ve finally come back.”

Mari nods glumly, uncharacteristically quiet. Dia notices this, and her stern expression softens slightly. “Did something happen?”

“It’s…” Mari breathes out slowly, “It’s nothing. Have you given what we talked about some thought?”

Dia shakes her head, and Mari’s expression sours even more. “Mari, I’ve told you this again and again. My country _needs_ me. The kingdom needs a ruler, and Ruby isn’t ready to take up that level of responsibility. I’m duty bound to take the throne.”

“Duty,” Mari snarls under her breath, before staring disapprovingly at Dia. “Not you, too? Tied down by ‘duty’ and ‘responsibility’, why can’t you see that it’s killing you on the inside? People are supposed to live free, not under slavery.”

“ _Slavery—?_ ” Dia stops for a moment, shaking her head in exasperation. “Mari, to take the throne is an honour! It’s a heavy weight to bear, sure, but there’s no calling in life more worthy than this. It’s what I’ve been training to do all my life. How could I look at myself and be proud of what I’ve done if I stop now?”

Mari stares at Dia for a long moment, staying completely silent for a few seconds. She then breathes out lightly, and starts to walk deeper into the cave. When she’s walked past Dia, she pauses for a moment, not looking at Dia as she speaks up. “…Your knight is coming to pick you up. She should arrive before the week is up.”

“K-Kanan? She’s coming?” Dia says, alarmed.

“Don’t worry, she’s just doing her job,” Mari says bitterly, continuing to head into the cave. “She’s not aware of your feelings for her.”

Dia’s jaw tightens, and she runs after Mari. “Wait, what do you mean? You’ve talked to Kanan, right? What did you tell her?”

“I didn’t tell her anything,” Mari says, looking straight ahead. “But you do realize how _she_ feels about you, right?”

Dia cringes, her cheeks turning red. “You… that’s not fair, Mari. You know that I can’t…”

“Yes, you can’t respond to her feelings, right? Because of your duty.” Mari’s nostrils flare for a moment, sparks dancing in the air, before her shoulders slacken slightly. “I just want you to be happy…” She murmurs, almost too quiet for Dia to hear.

Almost.

Dia purses her lips, not sure how to reply. “Mari… Kanan and I, we… it’s not that simple. If we were to pursue a relationship, she’d become a weakness. A weakness that other nobles can exploit. I can’t… I can’t afford that to happen to her.” She takes a deep breath. “But… even if we don’t get into a relationship, just having her by my side will be enough. I won’t be sad, Mari. It’ll just be the same as it always has been. I can bear with it.”

Looking at Mari, Dia realizes Mari is shaking slightly. “I just… I just wanted to do something to help…” She mutters. “You’re the first mortal that I’ve felt this way towards, why won’t you let me _help_ you?”

“Mari… just the thought of wanting to help is enough for me,” Dia says, almost pleadingly. “You’re a dragon. I’m a human. Our worlds aren’t meant to intersect.”

Mari’s head drops, and she sighs. “You’re right. They’re not.”

Sprouting golden wings from her back, she launches herself into the air, disappearing into the shadows of the ceiling of the cave, out of Dia’s sight.

The woman sighs, staring up where Mari had hidden herself.

“It’s not as simple as dropping everything and leaving, Mari,” Dia says. “I can’t do that. Not while I still have options.”

Shaking her head, she goes to sit back down on the bed that Mari had generously prepared for her, lost in thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> they do!! the do!!!


End file.
